The Mostly Real McCoy (Apple Valley Love Stories #1)

by Julie Christianson

“I’ve been accused of insanity before.” Mr. Well-Built shrugs. “But believe me. I was of sound mind when I told your security guard to throw that lettuce at my body.”

I climb in beside Brooke now and get a whiff of coconut shampoo. She brushes her hair back and, yep. There’s the bare skin at her neck. Nope. Don’t look, Mac. That spells trouble. This is all about Daisy. Nothing else.

“Ha ha! You got me.” I snort. Fabulous. Mac has a sexy chuckle, and I’m honking like a goose.

Zap! Pow! Zing!

“Daisy’s my only priority. First. Last. Always.”

“If you ask me, he sounds kind of adorable,” Emi says. “I mean, sure. If you like dads.” An extremely hot dad.

He’s a T-shirt and jeans guy. He’s tall. There are definitely muscles happening. I guess he’s got a lumberjack vibe going.”

“His hair is dark, but it’s got some red to it. His eyes are green. He has two of them.”

“Sounds pretty snoopy, Nancy Drew.”

“Am I early?” I ask. “No. I’m just running late.” He’s wearing jeans and holding a bath towel. Drops of water bead across his chest. “Come on in,” he says. An eight pack of abs ripple at me. In my head, I hear my mother’s warning: Don’t stare at the sun, Brooke. You’ll burn your eyes. Yep. Too late, Mom.

“I’ve never seen a plumber in a dress and Converse.” “Huh?” I look down at my outfit, the bright pink skirt and sleeveless top. “It’s a skirt, actually. Probably a strange combo with the high tops, but it works for me. It’s kind of the Brooke uniform.”

“Comfort over beauty,” I blurt out, before Mac can ask about my mother. “That’s my motto.” Mac studies my look from head to toe. I feel a flush coming on. A tingle, even. “You’ve heard that thing about beauty,” he says. “That it’s in the eye of the beholder.”

Mac chuckles. “When someone tells you not to laugh, it’s really hard not to laugh.” “Oh yeah?” I turn on the water and aim the nozzle at him. My thumb hovers over the handle, like a trigger. “Do you think I’m funny now, Buster?” Mac grins. “You wouldn’t dare.” I shift my thumb. One little push and he’ll be soaked. “You don’t know me very well.” Mac lunges at me and I squeal, squirting him with one long burst of water. Then he pries the nozzle from my hand, and he sprays me back. A lot. “Stop!” I shriek, but we’re both cracking up and trying not to slip on the slick floor. When he wraps an arm around me and pulls me in close, I tip my face up to his. That’s when a drop of water rolls off his nose onto my chin. I look into his eyes. Those glass-green eyes. My heart’s a hammer in my chest. Oh.

“Things are good right here. Right now. Stop looking for a different kind of good.”

“It’s just that after Ethan … and everything else … you said you needed time to clear your head. To think straight.” “Yep.” I stiffen because I know where this is going now. “I’m not sure that’s happening around Mac and Daisy,” she says. “You have this big, big heart, Brooke. Your heart’s so big that when it breaks, well, it breaks bigger than other people’s hearts.”

“Because you haven’t lived until you’ve spent a whole Saturday avoiding cavitation erosion.”

“Are you two ready for the royal treatment?” she asks. Daisy hops. “Yes we are.

Needs end quotations

After burgers and fries at the library cafe,

“I’m sorry I shouted.” I sniffle. “You surprised me.” She blinks. I force a smile. “Are you ready for our show now, Princess?” When she nods, my nose stings. Uh oh. I bite my lip, but my eyes start brimming. I try, but I can’t stop the waterworks. “No book,” Daisy says. The frog prince falls to the floor. Oh my gosh. She just talked? Don’t scare her off, Brooke. Just keep calm. I swipe at my tear-streaked face. “You don’t want to read a book tonight?” “No.” Daisy wags a finger. “Don’t be sad, Book Wallace.”

Afterward we play World-Famous Cleanup. Then World-Famous Bath Time. Then World-Famous One More Book Please. First up is Midnight Farm. Next comes Goodnight, Moon. Then Goodnight, Moon again. We end with Sun Bread which is Daisy’s favorite. Every time I read the recipe page, my stomach growls. (I can’t help it. Sun Bread sounds delicious.)

Letting myself in, I flip on the lamp. Take in the scene. A total toy massacre.

“Yeah. Sure.” I stuff my hands in my pockets, playing it cool. “Iced tea. Brewed in the sun. The old-fashioned way.”

A small voice behind us says, “Hi, Daddy.” I jump up from my chair and spin around. There’s Daisy, standing at the entrance to the kitchen. Mac leaps up, too, and crosses the room in two long strides, gathering Daisy in his arms.

I take my half-full glass to the sink. Wait. No. It’s half empty. Optimism is for suckers. “So,

I’m awake at dark o’clock, tossing and turning,

yellow this time—with matching yellow Vans. Her hair is in a ponytail, so I’m treated to a view of her bare shoulders.

You are officially crazy.” Emi says this to me from behind the reference desk, and let me tell you, it’s hard to argue with a librarian. “I’m serious, Brooke. This is the dumbest thing you’ve ever done. And I was your roommate. In college.”

What happened with him was not your fault.” (Neither one of us wants to say the name Ethan Clifton. He’s like Voldemort. With a nose.)

She checks out the pizza in the center of the table. She cocks her head. “No olives?” “Never fear!” I head to the oven and pull out a second extra-large pizza. “As you wish, milady.” Never fear? Milady? When did I start talking like a knight?

“Strong work, milady.” Seriously. Did I just say milady for the second time? I might need a medieval intervention.

Daisy starts laughing again, and this time Brooke joins in. So. Maybe I haven’t completely blown it with my weirdness already.

So. ??

When I flex my muscles, I catch Brooke checking out my biceps. Her cheeks pink up and I keep flexing. She can look all she wants.

“Great.” I toss the rest of the slice back in the box. I want to crawl into the couch cushions and hide. “Don’t mind me. I’ll just be here, imploding.” “No imploding allowed,” he says.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. WHOA. The Wallaces are rich? I did not see that coming.

“Please don’t hate me for not telling you sooner.” “I don’t hate you.” I shake my head. “It’s just … a lot to wrap my head around.” Plus the touching. Of my leg.

“Ah. Wonderful. Backhanded compliments are my favorite.”

Emi snorts. “You’re communicating with ducks now?” “Are you surprised?” I snort. “That’s probably the least weird thing I’ll be doing today.”

Hey. Nice stammering, man. Really excellent.

I can’t imagine anything cuter than Mac buying tights for Daisy. Not even ducklings.

Honestly I eat the bulk of the ice cream.)

Ate* instead of eat

And I’m seized by an impulse. Correction: a crazy impulse. “Wait!” Mac turns to me, and I hop up on tip toes and throw my arms around his neck. Then, without thinking twice, I kiss my pretend husband. Go, Brooke. Atta girl. Way to B-E A-G-G-R-E-S-S-I-V-E. I’d only expected to give him a quick peck, but Mac wraps his arms around me and draws me in closer. His lips are so tender, brushing against mine, slowly drinking me in. My bones turn to liquid. I’m a puddle of milk. This isn’t just a kiss. We are actually kissing. With an ing. Oh my, Brooke. I should stop this. Instead we keep on K-I-S-S-I-N-G.

“So. What do you think, Mom?” Brooke asks. “Would you like to be called Granny? Or Grams? How about MeeMaw?” Robert breaks his silence with a long, loud cackle. “Oh, Lenore!” He puts a hand to his chest and raises the other like he can’t contain the laughter. “Please pick MeeMaw. I beg you!” Lenore flares her nostrils. “Well, that would make you PeePaw.” Robert cackles even harder. “Okay,” Brooke says. “MeeMaw and PeePaw it is.”

Brooke bends her neck back to whisper to me. “Is it weird that I’m enjoying this?” I wrap my arms around her. “Totally weird. But I love it.”

“Ethan, my man,” Mac says. “Let’s go have a chat. Just the two of us. Outside.”

This guy really is the worst. Brooke must’ve felt pretty bad about herself to go out with him. Once I get rid of this joker, I’m going to find her and hold a mirror up to her face while I point out everything that’s amazing about her. Inside and out. One thing of beauty at a time.

“I just want her.”

“She is perfect.” I look out at the water again. “Brooke Wallace is the best thing that ever happened to me. And she’s enough. More than enough. She’s everything.”

Karma’s a sinking ship, Ethan. No life preserver for you.

See you around, Buddy. Don’t let the creek splash you on your way out.

“So.” Mac’s voice is thick and gravelly. “You have some stuff to tell me about, huh? Important stuff.” I bite my lip. “I do.” He exhales. “Well, I’ve got things to tell you about me too. Before that, though, I need you to know something, Brooke.” He pauses. Swallows. Oh my. What do I need to know, Mac? “First of all, I don’t care about anything Ethan said tonight.” Mac takes a beat and shifts his weight. “Wait. That came out wrong. I do care. I care about you. A lot.” I’m afraid I might cry if I try to speak. “More than anything, I just want you to be happy.” He squeezes my hands and my whole body trembles. “Because you already make me happy, Brooke. Everything about you. Just like this. You’re enough for me. More than enough.” By now all the air has left my body, so I just blink. And blink. And blink. His eyes bore into mine. “To me, you’re perfect.” I don’t want to be perfect. I just want to be yours.